1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mechanism for connecting the head of a lacrosse stick or other racket, club, or two-piece implement to a handle therefore. In particular, the mechanism generally provides for a pressure to be applied from inside a hollow handle to press together portions of the handle and the head.
2. Description of Related Art
In playing the sport of lacrosse, players use a lacrosse stick to catch a ball, cradle and control the ball, and pass the ball to another player or shoot the ball into a goal. The lacrosse stick typically comprises two portions: a head portion and a handle portion. The head is typically constructed to receive the ball and release the ball from a pocket or basket area while the handle is typically relatively long and narrow and constructed to allow the player to impart momentum to the ball by using upper body strength. Traditional lacrosse sticks are substantially rigid in that they do not flex during use.
While some sticks have a one-piece design in which the head and stick handle are jointly formed from a single piece of wood, metal or plastic, more often today, sticks have a two-piece design in which the head and handle are independently fabricated and subsequently joined together in a rigid fashion. Sticks having a two-piece design typically include a socket element in the head portion for insertion and rigid attachment of the handle. The head of a lacrosse stick is typically attached to the stick in a generally longitudinally coaxial orientation.
Stick handles are typically made of straight-grained wood, wood laminate or a tough, lightweight metallic or reinforced plastic tubular material. Thin gauge metallic extrusion, such as aluminum, or tough polymeric materials, such as fiber reinforced composite plastics, are typically the most suitable materials for lacrosse stick handles. Head frames are typically formed from a tough synthetic thermoplastic material, such as high impact strength nylon. Typically, the head frame and stick handle are fastened together at the socket joint by a fastener, such as a screw, a pin, a rod, or another fastener, which typically extends through the head at the socket and into the handle, rigidly joining these pieces together.
Since there are extensive forces exerted through the lacrosse stick during play, the joint between the head and the handle receives significant strain, which in the traditional joint, can cause damage to the fastener or to the hole in the head or handle of the lacrosse stick. Even without direct damage to the joint, these forces may cause a loosening of the fastener that otherwise rigidly holds together the handle and the head. Further, because players desire to exert force through the stick they often desire a particularly rigid joint between the handle and the head, leading to excessive tightening of the fastener, and potentially to the stripping of the threads of the fastener or the hole into which the fastener is put. Damage to the joint, the fastener or the hole may result in the user being unable to sufficiently secure the head to the handle, making that combination of head and handle unplayable. Moreover, such damage may make removal of the fastener or disconnection of the head from the handle difficult. Not only is this a problem for the user during play, but also is a cost burden for the player who must replace or repair a damaged head, handle or fastener.